Centrifugal separator



July 20, 1943. l.. D. JONES CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed May 2, 1941 INVENTOR l e0 Jones ATTORNEY Patented July 2G, 1943 CENTRIFUGAL SEPRATR Lec D. Jones, Philadelphia, Pai, asslgnor to The Sharples ilorporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a eerporatien of Belaware .espinasse may a, 1941, serial No. 391,471

(et zic-73) Claims.

The present invention pertains to the centrifugal dehydration of solids and relates particularly to the provision of a centrifugal separator of improved construction designed to effect removal of liquid from solids. An example of a separating operation for which the machine cf the invention is Yesliecially suitable is the separation of mother' liquor from crystals formed by the cooling of such liquor. This invention relates to an improved machine for effecting such a dehydrating step in an operation involving removal of the liquor by centrifugation, followed by continuous or frequent intermittent discharge of solids from the centrifugal rotor.

A diilicult problem has been encountered in the operation of machines of the prior art designed to perform`r separating vfunctions of this character, in that the solids discharged from the centrifugal rotor have had a tendency to adhere to surfaces which they strike after such discharge. In many cases, solids discharged build up progressively' in the form of a cake to such an extent as to block further discharge of solids from the rotor. The present invention relates particularly to a machine designed to avoid this tendency of discharged solids to adhere to impacted surfaces, and an important feature of the invention consists in the fact that it provides an economical means of avoiding this difiiculty.

The problem of crystal stickage is solved in the machine of the present invention, by providing a flexible and deformable member in the line of discharge of solids from the rotor. This member is periodically deformed to break loose crystals which may adhere to it, thereby avoiding accumulation and cementing together of such crystals.

The invention can be best understood by consideration of the attached` drawing, in which the single figure illustrates the part associated with the rotor and upper end of a. centrifugal separator of the invention, the view being partly in cross section and -partly in side elevation. Referring to the drawing by reference characters, a rotor III is illustrated which afl'ords a plurality of successive separating stages, The general features of designsof the machine by which the solids are dehydrated and discharged from the upper end II of the rotor may be of any known character, but these features are preferably similar to Vthese illustrated in the prior patent to L. P. 'Sharples No. 2,095,206. The dehydrated solids are preferably discharged from the rotor by means of a plurality of plows I2 which are arranged at an angle to the wall of the rotor and rotated at a speed slightly different from that of the rotor in order to discharge the solids in a manner well understood in this art. Reference is made to the patent to Brewer, No. 1,991,490 for a more detailed description of the construction and principle of operation of plows of this character. Features of rotor and plow design form no part of the present invention.

A stationary casing I3 surrounds the rotor and receives liquid discharged therefrom through opening I2 provided in the wall of the rotor. A second casing I6 surrounds the casing I3, and this casing It is provided with a, .cover I5 through which conduits for feeding material to be treated and rinse liquid are passed to the rotor. If the special arrangement constituting the feature of the presentA invention were not provided, solids discharged from the upper end il of the rotor would strike the cover I5 at about the point indicated by the arrow P, and a large part of these solids would adhere to the cover at this point, gradually accumulating until they might even reach the outer edge of the rotor. In order to avoid this difllculty, I secure an annular strip I6 of deformable, and preferably also elastic, material to the cover I5 at the normal zone of annular discharge of solids against that cover. Thus, an elastic strip of vulcanized rubber may be bonded to the cover at the points I1 and I8, as illustrated, in order to form a fluid tight chamber I9 surrounding the zone of solids impingement against the annular strip I6.

Means are provided for periodically flexing the strip I6, in order to forcibly dislodge solids which may strike this strip and adhere thereto. While any suitable means may be employed to accomplish this end, I have illustrated in the drawing an arrangement in which the chamber I9 is connested by a conduit 20 with the cylinder 2l of a uid pressure motor provided with a slowly reciprocating piston 22. As the piston 22 moves to the left, it forces air from the cylinder 2| into the space I9, thereby causing the flexible strip I6 to be moved from the full to the dotted line position of the drawing. This movement causes dislciidgment of solids, and prevents their accumula- While the invention has been illustrated as applied to a flexible strip secured to the top I5 of the casing I4, and this illustration has included provision of fluid pressure means for deforming the strip, I wish it to be understood that this is but one of a number of forms which the invention may take. The invention may be practiced by deforming a flexible deflector for the discharged solids by any suitable pneumatic or mechanical means, Within the -broad scope of the invention. Various modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and I do not therefore wish to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor, a deformable deiiector mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means independent of said discharged solids for positively flexing said deflector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

2. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor, an elastic and deformable deilector mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means independent of said discharged solids for positively flexing said deflector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

3. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be' discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor,. an annular deformable deector mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means independent of said discharged solids for positively iiexing said defiector to dislodge `solids adhering thereto.

4. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor, a deformable deilector mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means independent of said discharged solids for positively and periodically flexing said deilector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

5.'In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be discharged periph erally during rotation of the rotor, a fluid tigi.; chamber provided with a deformable defiectol surface mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means for passing fluid under pressure to said chamber for flexing said deflector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

6. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which `solids are adapted to be discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor, an annular fluid tight chamber provided with a deformable deflector surface mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means for passing fluid under pressure to said chamber for flexing said deiiector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

7. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from -said Yliquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor, a fluid tight chamber having a wall consisting of an elastic deformable deflector mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means for forcing fluid under pressure into said iiuid tight chamber for iiexing said deflector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

8. In a centrifugal separator, the combination including means for separating solids from liquids and for discharging said solids separately from said liquids comprising a centrifugal rotor from which solids are adapted to be discharged peripherally during rotation of the rotor, a fluid tight chamber having a wall consisting of an elastic deformable defiector mounted in the line of discharge of said solids, and means for intermittently forcing fluid under pressure into said fluid tight chamber for flexing said deflector to dislodge solids adhering thereto.

LEO D. JONES. 

